WMKA News

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The 2nd Okinawa Karate World Tournament 2022

News from Okinawa May 18, 2022 Dear WMKA members around the World, The Covid-19 pandemic is still hurting many people around the world. I hope you are not affected by it too much and doing OK in your daily life where you live. I will post “Okinawa Karate World Tournament 2022” as news from Okinawa. Okinawa is holding the Karate Events from August 1st to 9th. The two main contents of the event are “Karate Tournament (Kata/form)” and “Karate Seminar”. The contents of the Karate event may be changed, or it may be cancelled or postponed based on the COVID-19 situation. The Okinawa Governor is the president of the Karate Events Executive Committee. President Yoshitaka Taira is one of six-Vice presidents from all Okinawa karate and Kobudo organizations. WMKA Okinawa Headquarters will send 12 personnel including president Taira and vice president Arakaki to the Expert Committees as Seminar instructors, Judges or staff. Accountant Ms. Mayumi Horikawa Renshi 6th Dan won the Okinawan Preliminary Rounds and will attend the Main Tournament as one of three participants from the Okinawa Adult Female Senior in August.  The Karate Tournament (Kata/form) consists of Preliminary Rounds and Main Tournament. You can choose any Category you like based on your Karate-kei (Ryuha) and your age.  Karate-kei (Ryuha) is classified into five groups:  ① Shuri-te kei /Tomari-te kei ② Naha-te kei ③ Uechi-ryu kei ④ Kobudo (Bo) ⑤ Kobudo(Sai). Age is classified into four groups for male and female:  ➀Juniors Male (15 to 17) ② Adults Male Ⅰ (18 to 39) ③ Adults […]

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New Year’s Greeting From Okinawa

News from Okinawa  January 1, 2022 Dear WMKA members around the world, A Happy New Year 2022 ! Aratama nu Tushi Muke-ti Gusu-yo-  Waka Waka tu Tushi Tuimiso-chi Sai !  I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to all of you for the glorious and hopeful New Year.  It was a “Dream come true ! ” for all WMKA members around the world that we could erect the Memorial Monument for Founder Shoshin Nagamine last year. The monument is located in Tomari district of Naha City where he was born on July 15,1907. On top of that, his Monument stands side by side with the Monument for Matsumora Kosaku who is known as “Restorer of Tumai-di” within Tomari Shinyashiki park in Naha City.    Though “Okinawa, “Birth Place of Karate” is small island, we had an indigenous self-defense and peaceful martial art called “Te” which means “Hand” . It gradually evolved & spread to the whole world, regardless of age, gender, nationality, race, thoughts or religion.  Karate was officially authorized as one of the Olympic sports at Tokyo 2020 and recognized as world Karate. Mr. Kiyuna Ryo, an athlete from Okinawa won the Karate Kata competition and brought back the first Karate Gold Medal to Okinawa.  The Covid-19 virus is still hurting many people around the world since last year.  Many WMKA members  also are affected, not only in your daily life and jobs but also your Karate life. I assume many of you have closed your dojos and don’t know […]

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The New schedule for the Memorial Events for Founder Shoshin Nagamine in 2021

News Announcement from Okinawa February 16, 2021 This Event Has Been Cancelled: The New schedule for the Memorial Events for Founder Shoshin Nagamine in 2021  Dear WMKA members around the world,  The COVID-19 pandemic is still spreading and on the rampage around the world. We hope all of you are not affected too much and are keeping your daily lives safe. It seems no one including pandemic specialists from around the world can predict when this COVID-19 PANDEMIC will become quiet and we will return to our normal daily lives again. All we can do may be to pray that the Covid-19 pandemic will be over as quickly as possible.  “There is no night that doesn’t dawn”, and we believe that today’s step by step actions will lead to a bright future. I want to announce “The New schedule for the Memorial Events for Founder Shoshin Nagamine in 2021”. Please refer to the attached leaflet below this letter for detailed information. We hope that positive thinking and rational behavior of people around the world will soon overcome the Covid-19 pandemic. Corona virus vaccination has begun in some countries and we hope it will soon cover all nations. Also, we wish that the Tokyo Olympic and the Paralympic Games will be open this summer in Japan to show the strength of human beings over the Covid-19 pandemic. We will closely follow the Covid-19 pandemic situation around the world and will inform you of any changes including any additional postponement or suspension […]

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New Year’s Greeting from the President

News from Okinawa  January 1,2021 New Year’s Greeting from the President Dear WMKA members around the world, Hysai gusu-yo Aratama nu simi tu ku-bu kajyati kukuru kara shigata wakaku naimi sochi iisho-guwachide-biru! A Happy New Year! I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to all of you for the glorious and hopeful New Year. I think last year was a really turbulent year for Okinawa and throughout the world. The current Covid-19 corona virus was a disaster, and the news media focused mostly on it. The Tokyo Olympics and National Sports Events & Festivals including many other events had been postponed or reduced in order to prevent the new coronavirus infection. The Memorial Monument Unveiling and Celebration for Founder Shoshin Nagamine was postponed to this year. We don’t have any sure prospect for the eradication of the coronavirus pandemic. However, we were able to hold the “ WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine” on November 1st which confirmed the bond and solidarity of WMKA . Unfortunately, many people are still forced to live in tension and fear every day without any reasonable information to feel safe in their mind. We expect that 2021 will be a year of glorious vibrancy, overcoming the influence of the new Coronavirus. “There is no night that doesn’t dawn”, and we believe that today’s step by step approach will lead to the bright future. I strongly look forward to reuniting with many of you in November in Okinawa at The […]

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Commemorative Video of the WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Memorial Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine

Commemorative Video of the WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Memorial Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine  Because of the  global COVID-19 pandemic upon us, we as members of the WMKA were not able to meet in Okinawa in 2020 for our planned event “The Memorial Monument Unveiling and Celebration for founder Shoshin Nagamine and Karate-do International Seminar & Exchange Martial Arts 2020”.  However, thanks to the cooperation of WMKA senior instructors and WMKA members throughout the world, the “WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Memorial Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine” was a huge success. The two session occuring at 8 am and 8 pm Okinawa time on November 1st, 2020 were meant to accommodate members in the many time zones throughout the world and included over 250 Zoom participant connections. Please enjoy the following video of our virtual event. In the credits, you will find a list of WMKA members that organized and contributed to this event making it both possible and successful. (Video production, courtesy of Mr. Joel Castasus)

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Important Reminder: WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Memorial Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine 

October 20, 2020: News Notification from Okinawa Important Reminder: WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Memorial Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine   Dear WMKA members,  We have less than two weeks before the “WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Memorial Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine” event which will be held twice on November 1st at 8:00 am and 8:00 pm Okinawa local time. November 1st was the originally scheduled date for “The Memorial Monument Unveiling & Celebration for Founder Shoshin Nagamine” in Okinawa. All Events in Okinawa were postponed to 2021.  Please know that all WMKA dojo owners and their students may register for one or both of these events: First Zoom Online Workout: November 1st  8:00 am Okinawa time The 8 am event will feature a speech and special karate instruction by WMKA president Yoshitaka Taira (Hanshi 10th dan). Second Zoom Online Workout: November 1st 8:00 pm Okinawa time The 8 pm event will feature a speech and special Karate instruction by Vice-president Toshimitsu Arakaki (Hanshi 10th dan). Remember to refer to your time zone and select your convenient time to participate for the 8 am and/or the 8 pm event according to your country’s location (you may participate in both events if convenient for you!). If you are affected by Daylight Savings Time and you register for the 8PM session, please note that you will need to log into the Zoom session an hour earlier due to the time change early morning of November 1. If you are a […]

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WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Memorial Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine 

September 27, 2020: News Notification from Okinawa WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Memorial Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine   Dear WMKA members, The COVID-19 disease (Coronavirus) is still hurting many people around the world. I hope all of you and the people around you are not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.   We are glad to announce the “WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Memorial Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine” which will be held twice on November 1st at 8:00 am and 8:00 pm Okinawa local time. November 1st was the originally scheduled date for “The Memorial Monument Unveiling & Celebration for Founder Shoshin Nagamine” in Okinawa. All Events were postponed to 2021.  We are very thankful for all WMKA members around the world because “WMKA 2020 Worldwide Virtual Event and Memorial Tribute to Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine “was proposed by overseas members not from Okinawa.  First Zoom Online Workout: November 1st  8:00 am Okinawa time The 8 am event will feature a speech and special karate instruction by WMKA president Yoshitaka Taira (Hanshi 10th dan). Second Zoom Online Workout: November 1st 8:00 pm Okinawa time. The 8 pm event will feature a speech and special Karate instruction by Vice-president Toshimitsu Arakaki (Hanshi 10th dan). Please refer to your time zone and select your convenient time to participate for either the 8 am or the 8 pm event according to your country’s location. You may participate in both events if convenient for you! All dojo owners will be mailed registration information and […]

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Covid-19 and the Postponement of the Memorial Events for Founder Shoshin Nagamine in Okinawa

May 1, 2020 The Announcement from president Yoshitaka Taira  The COVID-19 and the postponement of the Memorial Events for founder Shoshin Nagamine in Okinawa Dear WMKA members around the world,  The COVID-19 is still spreading and is on a rampage around the world. We are forced to know the tragic up-to-date conditions around the world on both TV and Newspaper every day and night. The world still seems like it is under a GLOBAL COVID-19 LOCKDOWN. Japan is under a nationwide state of emergency and Okinawa is listed as the 14th worst area among 47 prefectures in Japan based on the positive infection rate per capita. What is worse, it seems nobody including pandemic specialists around the world can predict when this COVID-19 PANDEMIC will become quiet and we will be back to the previous normal daily life again.  Considering the current heartbreaking condition and the unknown virus activity, we have decided to postpone “The Memorial Monument Unveiling & Celebration for founder Shoshin Nagamine and Karate-Do International Seminar & Exchange Martial Arts 2020” until 2021. We value the most, our policy “Nuchi-du Takara” which means “Life is a Treasure”. We considered and reconsidered in order to reach this decision. We believe it is the best way to protect WMKA members around the world and to help everyone who are wondering about the trip to Okinawa, spiritually, physically and economically to fight with COVID-19. Please cancel your travel arrangements. To all those who have already booked the trip to Okinawa and […]

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